Don't Turn Your Back
by xXBalorBabeXx
Summary: Harper Grimes knew that life wasn't always perfect... but there were limits that should never be crossed or destroyed. (No apocalypse AU, co-written with Werewolf-queen-022)
1. The Weight Of The World

" _I can break you… I know about little Carl and the others. Now this "I'm by myself!" is bullshit, kid. Where are the they and where is my wife?!" Ed growled, slowly losing it. He had been torturing Harper for the past day and it hadn't yielded anything but sarcastic remarks and snarkiness from her._

 _And now there was that tiny shred of regret for keeping her captive… Harper clearly wasn't gonna break anytime soon._

" _I ain't telling you any lies you'll-" Harper started to say, grunting as Ed slammed the bat right into her ribcage. "Are you torturing me or is this just fucked up foreplay?" She asks tauntingly after looking up at Ed… but it pissed him off worse._

" _Where are they?!" Ed demanded._

" _Carol and Sophia? They're better off away from you, you son of a bitch… all you've done is terrorize them-" Harper responded, Ed backhanding her._

" _Where are they?! You ain't had enough yet from me?! Maybe you've grown to like it after Patrick turned against you! You're just a punching bag anyway, Harper!" Ed said through gritted teeth._

 _Harper kicked her right foot up between Ed's legs and forced him to fall before she pinned him down and grabbed the machete Rick gave her, stabbing Ed repeatedly as her rage and his pain filled screams echoed through the warehouse._

 _Ed was barely able to shove Harper off of him and pull himself up, charging at her… but that was_ _as_ _Harper had grabbed the bat and a sickening crack echoed as she smashed it against his skull._

" _You… are a fucking bitch!" Ed yelled, Harper looking at him._

" _Maybe I am a bitch… or maybe..." Harper says, picking up a silver and red axe. "Maybe you're out of options, Ed." She says, driving the axe into Ed's spine repeatedly._

 _When Daryl and Rick finally found the room, they were shocked at what_ _was there… Ed laid on the ground with blood all around him and Harper gripped onto the axe, looking down at him… it was as Harper raised the axe one more time to sever Ed's head that Daryl and Rick stopped her._

" _Check him." Daryl said, Rick crouching down and not finding a pulse._

" _Is it over?" Harper asked numbly as Rick stood up._

" _You got him, Harper Rose… it's over." Rick whispered before the three left, Rick holding Harper close to him…_

"Harper… Harper, wake up, baby girl!" Rick said, lightly shaking the young teenager.

Harper's blue eyes snapped open as she sat up, her reddish brown collarbone length hair messy from sleep and her and Rick hugging. She had been adopted by Rick and Lori nearly a year ago but already, it was like she had lived her whole life with them and Carl.

Harper looked up at Rick, who brushed her tears away.

"The family down the block… Carol and Sophia, are they holding up okay? It's not easy breaking off all contact with…" Harper tried to say, Rick knowing that she was worried that Ed would be acquitted of the domestic abuse charges against him.

"Ed is gonna get what he deserves, Harper. He won't be able to hurt Carol, Sophia or anyone else, I promise." Rick answered, carefully cradling Harper's face as her right eye and mouth were still sore from Ed punching her.

The two hugged again and Rick kissed Harper on the side of her forehead before going to check on Lori and Carl. Harper reached over and grabbed her red and black handheld mirror, opening it and looking at herself.

She remembered it clear as day… it was something she'd never forget.

 _ **Three days earlier…**_

 _Harper was on her way back from school, enjoying the crisp autumn air and smiling as she stopped and bent down to pet the neighbor's pug._

" _Hi, Molly." Harper said, Molly barking in response and nuzzling the 14 year old's right hand._

 _But the bark slowly turned into a growl as Molly and Harper both heard screaming and Harper's eyes widened in shock as she saw Ed punch Carol. Molly ran through the puppy door of her home to alert her humans and Harper ran over and jumped on Ed, slamming her right knee into his back and putting him in a chokehold like Rick had taught her to._

 _Ed's attention was no longer on his wife, him focusing on the small but surprisingly strong girl as Ed was down to one knee._

 _Carol had ran in and locked the door, telling Sophia to go upstairs and do the same before Carol dialed 911 and relayed to the dispatcher that Ed had attacked her and was currently attacking Harper from what Carol saw transpire._

 _Ed flipped Harper onto the concrete and punched her in the face, his second punch missing as Harper moved her head and Ed's fist hit the concrete._

" _Carol, you bitch! Get off that fucking-" Ed shouted after turning back to Carol, screaming as Harper smashed a brick against his head and knocked him down before she kept him down and put every bit of rage into her punches as she screamed at Ed that he was a sick bastard._

 _Harper paid no attention to the sirens or any of her surroundings until she was physically pulled off of Ed and felt Rick's hands on her shoulders as Shane pulled Ed up after handcuffing him and shoved him into the squad car after reading Ed his rights._

" _Harper…" Rick said, Harper taking ragged breaths to fill her lungs as her face was red with anger as well as bruised and bleeding from Ed punching her and her punching him repeatedly._

" _It had to stop… someone had to stop him because he wasn't gonna stop on his own, Dad…" Harper managed to say, Rick wrapping his arms around her and holding her to him._

" _I know, baby girl… they never do stop on their own…" Rick whispered as Harper wrapped her arms around him, returning the hug._

 _Harper buried her face into Rick's shoulder as Carol and Sophia cautiously approached them, Carol resting her hand on Harper's back and her looking at them._

" _Is Daddy going away for a long time? He's hurt Mommy before." Sophia said, her tiny left hand gripping onto Harper's right one._

" _You two won't have to worry anymore…" Harper responded, her voice still rough before Rick and Carol helped her up._

" _Carol-" Rick started to say._

" _I'll be more than happy to file charges against him… but your little girl needs to be fixed up, Rick." Carol replied, her and Rick helping the kids to the squad car._

 _Harper felt Sophia wrap her arms around her and immediately embraced her, stroking Sophia's hair._

 _Sophia felt the weight of the world being lifted off her shoulders… and so did Harper and Carol._


	2. The Mystery Man Down The Street

_**3 days ago, Merle's perspective…**_

" _Daryl? Where'd ya go?" I call out as I walk into the apartment that me, my brother and a drug dealer I work with share… but there's no sign of him._

 _I continue to look around, stumbling across an old pic of me and Evie… I could've sworn the other day that I saw a mini version of her earlier but with my eyes._

 _And if I ever do approach her, I've got to be cautious… she might not even know that I'm alive or might not be looking for her biological father._

 _And she might have a stepfather that loves her like she's his own child, I don't want to rip her life apart… but I need to know._

 _I need to know if this girl's my little daughter…_

 **Present time…**

Harper felt like she needed air so she got cleaned up, dressed, used makeup to hide the bruises and headed out with Rick… although the last part wasn't exactly her choice.

"Dad? I would've come back home before you know it." Harper said, having gotten used to her crutches and braced left ankle… but Rick wasn't used to his daughter's independent nature and felt like she needed to act more like a kid.

Rick was about to voice that when a truck stopped at the curb and he gently nudged Harper behind him for her protection, the raven haired girl in the driver's seat noticing it.

"Sorry… just got a bit turned around, not too familiar with this area." The girl said after opening the driver's door.

"Where you from, miss?" Rick asked.

"Louisiana… deep down in the swamps area." The girl answered.

"I-85 should put you back on the track. From there, turn onto I-65 and then to I-10." Rick responded.

"Thank you. God I hate when I leave home, I know my way around swamps but not the city." The girl replied.

"Kind of the reverse here, haven't been out of the city too much." Harper said, the girl seeing a few aged scars on the left side of the young teen's head.

"Scars, they usually tell a pretty good story." The girl responded.

"Sometimes they do. Name's Harper." Harper replied, extending her right hand and the girl shaking it.

"Amber." Amber said, before pulling up the left side of her jeans, Harper and Rick seeing a bite mark scar. "And how is for a scar?"

"Alligator teeth, right?" Rick asked.

"Nope, a wild pig. If it was gator, I'll more likely be dead." Amber explained.

"Their jaws are stronger than bear traps." Harper said, Amber nodding in agreement before readjusting her jeans.

"I'm gonna get back on the road, be safe, y'all." Amber responded before driving away and Harper hearing the two way radio going off.

"Grimes." Rick said.

"Rick, it's Shane, there's some kind of brawl out near the high school." Shane replied.

"Damn it. Keep them calm, I've got Harper with me and I don't want to leave her alone back at the house." Rick said before he took Harper to the patrol car.

When they reached the high school, Rick saw the look on Harper's face when she saw Merle fighting with his dealer.

"Stay in this car, do not move." Rick said, attempting to get out… but Harper saw the pistol in Merle's hand and grabbed the Revolver off the dashboard, getting out and aiming it at Merle.

"Drop it, prick!" Harper yelled, Merle seeing her and putting the gun down. "You, drop the meth." She said to the dealer, who turned angry and grabbed Shane, putting the gun to his head.

"I ain't going back to jail because of some bitch! Merle, shoot her!" The dealer growled before there was a loud sharp whistle and the dealer howled in pain as two dogs latched onto the back of his legs.

Shane flipped him onto the concrete as the dogs let go and handcuffed him, Rick getting Harper to put the Revolver down and seeing that she wasn't seeing the brawl clearly but was reliving a flashback to how her stepfather would abuse her.

Amber got out and got Shadow and Banjo back to the truck before seeing Rick and Harper hugging.

"Shh… it's okay, kiddo. It's okay." Rick whispered, Amber seeing the look in Merle's eyes as he watched Harper.

"What's that look for?" Amber asked.

"She's just like her mother… I had a feeling I left more than an old girlfriend behind." Merle answered quietly.

"You were in the military?" Amber asked.

"Last time I left was about 14 years ago… Eve encouraged me to." Merle answered.

"And you're sure that Harper is your daughter?" Amber questioned.

"She's about the right age… thing is if she was adopted by sheriff Grimes, what happened to Evie?" Merle said quietly.

"Maybe ask them later, when she's calmed down." Amber said.

It was at the police station after Harper signed her statement of the incident that she stood back up on her crutches and headed outside to clear her mind… only to jump slightly when she saw Merle.

"Scared the hell outta me." Harper replied.

"Sorry… you look a lot like your mom." Merle said, Harper taken aback by that and looking at him.

"How did you know her?" Harper asked.

"She never mentioned anything about who your biological father is?" Merle responded.

"Just that he was a military man, that they loved each other… and that he never came back so I thought he had died in the line of fire." Harper explained before she saw Amber, Shadow and Banjo.

But just as she was about to ask, she saw Rick.

"Come on, kiddo… we're headed back home." Rick said, Harper following him.

At the Grimes house, Rick shut the car off and Harper looked at him.

"You want to know, don't you? It's okay if you want to, sweetheart." Rick responded as they unbuckled and hugged.

"I'll always see you as my dad… you and Mom took me in when I had nowhere else to go. But I need to know if he's my biological father… and why he didn't look for me." Harper said before they let go.

When they were in the house, Lori looked up from the kitchen and smiled before walking over, Lori and Harper hugging.

Harper knew that they'd always be her family.


	3. Taking Chances

_**Three weeks later…**_

Rick wasn't sure why Harper kept glancing behind the Ford F-150 but knew something wasn't right. Slowing down slightly, he turned to Lori.

"She seems rather startled." Rick whispered, Lori turning to Harper.

"Hopefully this holiday will make her feel better." Lori said.

"Hopefully." Rick responded as Harper seemed to calm down, her hair fluttering in the breeze... and Carl playfully pulled on the red curls, making Harper smile and respond by tickling him.

In the truck a good distance behind them, Merle looked closer as Daryl drove.

"I have a feeling the second she sees you alone again, she's gonna punch you in the face." Daryl replied.

"I don't care." Merle said.

"How can you even be sure she's your daughter?" Daryl asked.

"That girl's got my attitude. You should've seen her point that gun at me." Merle answered.

"Even if she's your kid, you can't do anything legal about it. You were never in her life, Evie's gone and Rick and Lori adopting Harper is legal." Daryl replied.

"Doesn't mean I can't make up for lost time." Merle said.

Once the Ford F-150 reached the Louisiana area and the place, the four got out and took the things into the hotel… but Harper snuck back out and grabbed the Revolver, putting it in the waistband of her skinny jeans. She locked and closed the door before her phone rang and she jumped before answering it.

"Shane, you scared me half to death!" Harper responded.

"Sorry, kiddo. How's Louisiana so far?" Shane replied.

"Beautiful out here… look, I'm sure it's just nerves but on the way here, I swear someone was following us." Harper answered, startling Shane.

"You get a good look at them?" Shane asked.

"Two guys. One was one of the ones you and my dad busted during that deal. The other, I'm sure it's who followed me that day." Harper answered, nervously putting her left hand in her jeans pocket.

"Maybe they ain't following you. Maybe they've come down to go hunting." Shane said.

"Maybe, Georgia's hunting laws are a lot different from Louisiana's. Doesn't mean I won't keep an eye out though." Harper responded.

"Yeah they better be careful. If they don't double check to make sure the land is leased by someone, the hunters will shoot them." Shane replied.

"Damn right, people don't hesitate to shoot. I'll call you back later and you be safe." Harper replied.

"You too, kiddo." Shane responded before they hung up.

Harper headed into the hotel and towards Rick, who was out on the deck looking at the sunset as _Barracuda_ by Heart played on a nearby radio.

"I know you took it from the truck." Rick replied, Harper forming her mouth into a thin line for a few seconds.

"I just don't want them hurting you, Mom and Carl, Dad." Harper responded after handing the gun to Rick, who put it in the waistband of his jeans and carefully hugged Harper.

Across the street, Merle looked through his binoculars at them… and he turned agitated before seeing Daryl grabbing his crossbow.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Merle asked.

"I'm going hunting." Daryl answered before leaving.

Out in the swamp, Daryl walked around and was thinking back.

 _ **Three weeks earlier, three days after the incident…**_

" _Got the girl leaving the school, Daryl." The dealer spoke through his headset, Daryl nodding and making sure to keep a safe distance as he followed Harper._

 _But he stopped after seeing her walk up to a boy a bit older and seeing the two kiss, the boy lightly squeezing Harper's ass, which made her squeal in delight slightly… and Daryl stormed over to them, pulling the boy away from Harper and punching him._

" _Get off him!" Harper screamed, immediately slamming her left knee into Daryl's back and making him let go of her boyfriend. "Ethan, you okay?!" She asked as she helped Ethan up._

" _I'm okay, Darlin'." Ethan answered as Daryl stood up, Harper turning and slapping Daryl._

" _Who the fuck are you?!" Harper demanded._

" _I'm just looking out for you… that's what family does." Daryl answered._

" _We're not family. I might be your niece by blood but you and my deadbeat father were never around when I was growing up!" Harper growled, her right hand entwining with Ethan's left one before they left._

 _Daryl ended up back at the apartment and Merle saw the bruise on his face._

" _What in the fuck's name happened?" Merle asked._

" _Harper fucking struck me is what, for trying to protect her!" Daryl answered._

" _From who?" Merle responded._

" _Some guy, they both were kissing." Daryl said._

" _Any idea how old he is?!" Merle replied._

" _He sure as hell ain't 14. Kissing her and squeezing her ass, acting like they're newlyweds." Daryl answered, Merle turning angry and grabbing his shotgun. "Are you out of your mind?!" He asked._

" _Some boy's touching my baby girl like that and you're asking if I'm insane?!" Merle responded, Daryl forcing him to put the gun away. "What do you have in mind?" He asked._

" _I heard her talk about a trip to Louisiana…" Daryl answered before going into more detail…_

 **Present time…**

Daryl had turned around when he lost his balance and fell, grabbing at his right leg… and then seeing the bullet wound before seeing Amber.

"The hell was that for?!" Daryl demanded.

"You poachers think you can come on our land and steal our kills?!" Amber demanded, aiming the rifle at Daryl's head.

"I ain't no poacher, kid!" Daryl responded.

"Yeah right. That's what they all say." Amber said, before grabbing Daryl by the collar of his shirt and pulling him up. "You and me are gonna go for a ride."

As Amber dragged Daryl with her, Daryl quickly texted Merle.

Merle heard his phone chime but ignored it as he stopped and looked around in the hallway… only to turn and get knocked down by Harper.

"You have no right following me and my family around!" Harper responded as Merle pulled himself up, right arm around his aching ribcage… and seeing that Harper had concealer on her neck, Merle rubbing it off with his right hand and seeing a small reddish purple mark as Harper pushed his hand away.

"Little lady, I am your family!" Merle replied.

"The hell you are, all you are is just a sperm donor. It takes a lot more than that to be someone's dad… and you're never gonna get that chance." Harper responded.

She turned and left after that… and Merle couldn't help but feel like he had to keep trying.


End file.
